Displaced scanner status indicator

ABSTRACT

A scanner is integrated as a peripheral device into a POS terminal. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are selectively activated and deactivated during item scanning for items being processed during a transaction at the POS terminal. The activation and deactivation of the LEDs are visible to an overhead security camera during the transaction. The selective activation and deactivation providing indications during the transaction as to whether the items are successfully scanned or unsuccessfully scanned during the transaction as the items are passed in front of at least one scan window of the scanner.

BACKGROUND

Security during checkout is a significant concern in the retailindustry. Typically, checkouts involve a cashier checking out a customeror a customer performing a self-checkout without any cashier assistance.Items purchases are scanned at a checkout terminal during checkout.

At least two security issues can arise during checkouts. First, acustomer (during a self-checkout) may intentionally or unintentionallynot scan an item or scan a lower-priced item instead of a true item.Second, cashiers may intentionally or unintentionally miss scanning anitem or scan a lower-priced item instead of a correct item. When acashier intentionally does not scan an item during an assisted checkout,this is referred to as sweet hearting, which is a transaction where thecashier is allowing a friend or relative to avoid paying for an itemduring checkout.

Stores have installed security cameras and other security mechanisms inan attempt to mitigate losses experienced with intentional andunintentional miss-scanning of items during checkouts. One popularapproach is to have the scanner activate status lights when an itempassing in front of the scanner but does not scan during a transaction.An overhead security camera can be time and date synchronized withtransactions and detect when items are not scanned properly during atransaction based on the activation or deactivation of the scannerlights.

Unfortunately, the configuration of the scanner into the checkoutterminals usually obstructs the overhead camera's view of the scannerstatus lights during a transaction, such that the images taken by thecamera provide no indication of the status lights. The checkout displaysoverhang and cover the area where the status lights are activated ordeactivated.

Furthermore, because a scanner activates light banks during a scan of anitem (for barcode illumination prior to imaging an item), theintegration of the status lights into the scan plate of the scanner hasbeen largely not attempted or unsuccessfully attempted, since the statuslights when illuminated can interfere with the scan imaging process ofitem barcodes during checkout causing scanning errors.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, methods, a system, and a scanner for providing adisplaced scanner status indicator during a checkout are presented forimproved checkout security.

According to an embodiment, a method for providing a displaced scannerstatus indicator is presented. Specifically, in one embodiment, ascanner detects an item passing by a scan window of the scanner during atransaction. A determination is made as to whether the item wasidentified by the scanner for processing with the transaction. At leastone light within a field-of-view of an overhead security camera isselectively activated or deactivated as an indication for thedetermination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system for providing displaced scanner statusindicators, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a first configuration for a scanner statusindicator into a scan plate of a scanner, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 1C is a diagram of a second configuration for a scanner statusindicator into a scan plate of a scanner, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 1D is a diagram of a third configuration for a scanner statusindicator into a scan plate of a scanner, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 1E is a diagram for a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system providingdisplaced scanner status indicators, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for providing displaced scanner statusindicators, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another method for providing displaced scannerstatus indicators, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a scanner that provides displaced scanner statusindicators, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system 100 for providing displaced scannerstatus indicators, according to an example embodiment. It is to be notedthat the components are shown schematically in greatly simplified form,with only those components relevant to understanding of the embodimentsbeing illustrated.

Furthermore, the various components (that are identified in the FIGS.1A-1E) are illustrated and the arrangement of the components ispresented for purposes of illustration only. It is to be noted thatother arrangements with more or less components are possible withoutdeparting from the teachings of providing displaced scanner statusindicators, presented herein and below.

The system 100 includes a bioptic scanner 110, a POS display 120, anoverhead security camera 130, and, optionally, a checkout station statuspole 140. The scanner 110 includes a vertical scan window 111 with anoptional Light Emitting Diode(s) (LED) 112 providing a scanner statusindicator. The scanner 110 also includes a horizontal scan window 113with an optional LED 114 providing a scanner status indicator.

The overhead camera 130 includes a field-of-view 131, 132, and 133, sothat the camera 130 can capture images from the horizontal window 113,the display 120, and, optionally, LED lights 141 situated on a top ofthe checkout station status pole 140.

It is to be noted that the status pole 140 can be physically situated inother configurations from that which is illustrated in the FIG. 1A andthat all that is necessary is that the LED(s) 141 are within a field ofview (such as field-of-view 133) of the camera 130 during a checkout.The status pole 140 is also an optional arrangement and embodimentpresented herein with system 100.

It is important for overhead security camera 130 to clearly see (have afield-of-view 131) to the scan indicator 114 and/or 141, so that storesecurity personnel know when items are successfully scanned by thescanner 110. This is necessary to detect “sweet hearting” in assistedlanes, where the cashier pretends but does not really scan items, sothey can give items away to their friends and/or relatives. This is alsonecessary to detect theft in self-checkout lanes, where customerssimilarly pretend but do not really scan items before placing the itemsin the self-checkout bagging area. If there is no security scale, theself-checkout system will not detect this type of theft. If there is asecurity scale, chances are good that a busy remote management terminalattendant for the Self-Service Terminals (SSTs) will clear the resulting“unexpected item in bagging area” exception without detecting the theftbecause this occurs with such regularity in SST configurations.

As discussed more completely herein and below, the scan indicator LED(112, 114, and/or 141) is displaced out to the horizontal top plate 113(horizontal scan window 113) or, in an alternative embodiment forself-checkout applications, to the status pole 140 (through LEDs 141).This allows overhead security cameras 130 to see when items aresuccessfully scanned during checkouts (assisted and self-service).

The various arrangements and processing presented herein can include: ascan indicator LED 114 on the horizontal top late 113 in a number ofconfigurations including the scan indicator LED 114 provided in: 1) anexisting horizontal top plate window 114 (shown in the FIG. 1A), 2)around the edges 116 of the horizontal top plate 113 (shown in the FIG.1B), 3) in dedicated windows 117 of the horizontal top plate 113separate from the existing windows of the horizontal top plate 113, 4) ascan indicator LED 115 beamed down from the vertical scan tower 111using LED(s) 112 and optical lenses to the horizontal top plate 113,and/or 5) a scan indicator LED 141 on a top of a status pole 140. TheLED status indicator (112, 114, 116, 117, 118, and/or 141) pulses off toindicate that a successful scan of an item was processed by the scanner110. The timing of LED activation for scanner 110 operation and the scanindicator LED 114 in (1) includes a coordinated duty cycling from scanindicator LED 114 activation and scanner LED illumination to avoidreducing scan performance of the scanner 110. Furthermore, the patternsof different color LEDs and sequences of illumination are enhanced toimprove existing security of security systems that use the imagesprovided by the scanner 130 and details provided by the checkout stationduring checkouts (assisted or self-service (SS)).

In an embodiment, the scan indicator LED(s) 114 is displaced to thehorizontal top plate (FIG. 1A and (1) discussed above). Here, the scanindicator LED 114 is visible through the scanner top plate window 113.Multicolored LEDs 114 (red, green, blue (RGB), or any combination) areadded to the top plate window 113 to shine through the top platehorizontal window 113 to indicate scanner status. The scan indicator 114can be on all the time or the indicator 114 can flash momentarily when abarcode is scanned for enhanced visibility. Optionally, to ensure themulticolored LEDs 114 are visible to the overhead security camera 130,and to ensure that the LEDS 114 do not interfere (create noise) with thewhite LEDs of the scanner (can also be red LEDs), which are used toilluminate barcodes for scanning, the scanner 110 turns on the scanindicator LEDs 114 during the “off” period between white/red light (LED)illumination pulses. It is to be noted that because of the closeproximity between the scan indicator 114 and the horizontal scan window113, the scan indicator 114 can reduce horizontal window scanperformance by over-exposing the scanner camera 130. It can also shiftthe white light illumination color spectrum, which reduces securitysystem's color-metric performance. The white light illumination in animaging scanner pulses on and off with an approximately a 2% duty cycleat 40 Hz frequency. Without this pulsing, the white light illuminationwould be uncomfortable for users due to the extreme brightness of thewhite light LEDs. The internal scanner cameras only capture images(expose) during the short time when the white light illumination is on.Further, to control costs, and in some embodiments, the multicoloredscan indicator LEDs 114 are not as bright as the white lightillumination LEDs used by the scanner 110 for scanning. However, themulticolored LEDs 114 can be on for 98% of time (100%−2%=98%) that thewhite light illumination is off. This 98% duty cycle allows these LEDs114 to appear brighter to observers and overhead security cameras 130,despite the fact that they are actually not as bright as the white lightillumination used by the scanner 110.

In an embodiment, as shown in the FIG. 1B, multicolored LEDs 116 areintegrated around the edges of the scanner top plate 113 (discussed in(2) above). A ring of scan indicator LEDs 116 under the perimeter of thetop plate 113 shine through the gap between the scanner top plate 113and the checkout counter.

In an embodiment, as shown in the FIGS. 1C and 1D, multicolored LEDs 117and/or 118 are integrated in their own independent windows (can be morethan 1 that as illustrated in the FIG. 1C—discussed in (3) above). Thisis similar to the approach discussed with (1); however, instead ofshining through the horizontal window 113, the scan indicator 117/118shines through dedicated translucent plastic windows or slots on the topplate 113.

In an embodiment, as shown in the FIG. 1A and as discussed with (4)above, multicolored LEDs 112 are beamed down 115 from the vertical scantower 111 to reflect off the top plate 113. The Multicolored LEDs 112are mounted on the scanner vertical tower 111 and arranged to shinetheir light on the horizontal top plate 113. This arrangement deploysoptical lenses and/or parabolic reflectors behind the LEDs 112 to ensurethe light is focused and visible on the top plate 113. Optionally, thisembodiment also benefits from the coordinated scan indicator/scannerillumination discussed with (1) above.

In an embodiment, the status indicator 114 is illuminated selectivelyusing white LEDs (sometimes red LEDs) through the top plate window 113.So, instead of adding multicolored LEDs to indicate when a scan occurs,the scanner 110 can instead turn off its white (or red) illumination fora relatively long period of time, for example ½ second, such that theinterruption is clearly visible to the user and to overhead securitycameras 130. This embodiment does not show the scanner status (such as,green enabled, red disabled, etc.), and makes the scanner 110 “blind” tosubsequent barcode scans during the period when the illumination is off.However, this embodiment does not increase hardware cost, and is clearlyvisible to overhead security cameras 130.

In an embodiment for self-checkout applications (SSTs) as discussed in(5) above and shown as an optional feature in the FIG. 1A, the SST showsthe scan status LED(s) 141 on the SST status pole 140. The SST checkoutsoftware is modified to blink the LEDs 141 whenever a barcode is scannedby the scanner 110. Optionally, an added LED 141 on top of the pole 140indicates scan status without disturbing any existing LEDs of the pole140. This added LED is visible to the overhead security cameras 130, butnot visible to customers. Specifically, and in an embodiment, thescanner 110 scans an item and sends a message to the SST transactionmanager processing on the PC core of the SST. The message flows from thescanner 110 as a scanner service object to the SST transaction managerapplication. The SST transaction manager instructs the LEDs 141 to turnoff for ½ second, then turn back on. Here, the message flows from theSST transaction manager as a LED control service object to the LED 141.Alternatively, the message can bypass the SST transaction manager andflow from the scanner 110 directly to the LED(s) 141. For example,scanner-generated service object translated on the scanner 110 as a LEDservice object delivered to the LED 141. Here, the scanner 110 may havea peripheral connection to the LED 141.

In an embodiment, the horizontal plane scan indicator lights (LEDs) 114and/or 116-118 replace any existing scan indicator lights on anyexisting vertical scan tower, but they can also be in addition toexisting scan indicator lights. That is, the conventional scan statusindicator LED is located on the top of the vertical scan tower and withembodiments presented herein (such as was discussed with (1)-(3) and (5)these LEDs can be removed from the vertical tower 111) or they canremain and be combined with the optical lenses to provide embodiment (4)discussed above.

As used herein, “multicolor lights or multicolored LEDs” includesdedicated green LEDs to indicate successful scan, or multicolor RGB LEDsthat can combine to create a rainbow of colors for different customizedstatus indications.

As used herein, a POS system refers to any customer-assisted terminal orSST providing checkout services at a retailer.

In an embodiment, the SST is an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). In anembodiment, the SST is a customer-operated kiosk.

In an embodiment, the sequence of color illuminations and pulsing of LEDilluminations can be customized for the displaced status indicators 112,114, and/or 116-118 for a security system that processes images from thecamera 130. For example, a successful scan can cause a green flash. Buta customer trying to steal a bottle of liquor by pretending it isbananas sold by weight can cause a red flash. This makes it convenientfor security personnel to synchronize camera footage with POS securitylogs in situations where the security camera system and POS system arenot tightly integrated with each other.

FIG. 1E is a diagram for a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system 160 providingdisplaced scanner status indicators, according to an example embodiment.The system 160 is again shown in greatly simplified form with only thosecomponents of the system necessary for understanding the variousembodiments presented herein illustrated.

The system 160 includes a POS terminal 150 that includes: a PersonalComputing (PC) core 151 having one or more hardware processors, memory,and non-transitory computer-readable media. The PC core 151 executes onthe hard processors a set of executable instructions programmed in thememory and/or media as a transaction manager 152. The POS terminal 150also includes an integrated peripheral display 120 and an integratedperipheral scanner 110. The scanner 110 includes one or more hardwareprocessors, memory, and non-transitory computer-readable media. Thescanner 110 executes on the hard processors a set of executableinstructions programmed in the memory and/or media as a status indicatormanager 152. The POS terminal 150 includes network and/or interfaceconnections to: a server 170 and optionally, to a camera 130, and one ormore peripheral lights 141.

The system 160 implements the various displaced status indicatorembodiments presented above with the FIGS. 1A-1D. The status indicatormanager 119 selectively activates and/or deactivates the statusindicator LEDs (lights) 112, 114, and/or 116-118 of the scanner'shorizontal top plate 114, the vertical tower 111, and/or the peripherallight 141 while items are passed in front of the scanner for processingduring a checkout at the POS terminal 150. This is done in the mannersdiscussed above with the noted embodiments of (1)-(5). The server 170provides transaction information for item lookup during the transactionto the transaction manager 152. The server 170 also processes or isinterfaced to one or more security systems for processing transactioninformation and images captured by the camera 130. The camera 130 issituated in a location to capture, in its field-of-view (131-133),images during the transaction associated with the selectiveilluminations or lack thereof performed by the status indicator manager119 during the checkout.

In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a cashier-operated terminalduring the transaction.

In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a SST that is operated by acustomer during a SS transaction.

These and other embodiments will now be discussed with reference to theFIGS. 2-4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method 200 for providing displaced scannerstatus indicators, according to an example embodiment. The softwaremodule(s) that implements the method 200 is referred to as a “scannerstatus manager.” The scanner status manager is implemented as executableinstructions programmed and residing within memory and/or anon-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium andexecuted by one or more processors of a scanner. The processor(s) of thescanner that executes the scanner status manager are specificallyconfigured and programmed to process the scanner status manager. Thescanner status manager may or may not have access to one or more networkconnections during its processing. The network connections can be wired,wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. In an embodiment, thescanner status manager does not require or does not have any networkconnectivity during its processing.

In an embodiment, the scanner that executes the scanner status manageris the scanner 110.

In an embodiment, the scanner is integrated as a peripheral device intothe POS terminal 150. In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a SST.In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a cashier-operated terminal.

In an embodiment, the scanner status manager performs the selectiveactivation and deactivation of any of, all or, or some combination ofthe status indicator LEDs 112, 114, 116, 117, and/or 118.

In an embodiment, the scanner status manager is the status indicatormanager 119.

At 210, the scanner status manager detects an item passing by a scanwindow of the scanner during a transaction at a POS terminal.

In an embodiment, at 211, the scanner status manager deactivates thelight when the item is detected by the scanner in the scan window.

In an embodiment, at 212, the scanner status manager activates otherillumination lights within the scanner that illuminate the item withinthe scan window for attempting to capture an image of an item codeaffixed to a surface of the item.

The processing at 211 and 212 were discussed above with option (1) inthe context of the embodiments presented in the FIGS. 1A-1E. Thisprocessing is done to mitigate any scanning failures due to the lightfor that status indicator being in a same scan window as the scanner'sillumination lights.

At 220, the scanner status manager determines whether the item wasidentified by the scanner for the transaction. That is, either thescanner was able to read an item code or the scanner was not able toread the item code affixed to a surface of the item.

At 230, the scanner status manager selectively activates or deactivatesa light visible within a field-of-view of a camera as an indication ofthe determination made at 220.

In an embodiment, at 231, the scanner status manager deactivates thelight by pulsing the light from on to off when the determination made at220 indicates that the item was unable to be identified by the scanner.In this embodiment, the light turns off momentarily for an unsuccessfulscan and remains on otherwise, except for any duty cycling as discussedin the embodiments of 211 and 212.

In an embodiment, at 232, the scanner status manager activates ordeactivates the light within an existing horizontal plate window of thescanner, such as horizontal plate member 113 of the FIGS. 1A-1D.

In an embodiment of 232 and at 233, the scanner status managercoordinates a duty cycle timing between the light and other lightsilluminated within the horizontal plate window of the scanner whenscanning an item code from the item. Again, this was discussed inembodiment (1) of the FIGS. 1A-1E and the processing at 211 and 212.

In an embodiment, at 234, the scanner status manager activates ordeactivates the light within a separate horizontal plate window of thescanner that is separate and independent from other horizontal platewindows used by the scanner for scanning an item code for the item. Thiswas discussed with the FIGS. 1C and 1D above.

In an embodiment, at 235, the scanner status manager activates ordeactivates the light as banks of lights situated around an outerperimeter of a horizontal plate of the scanner as a ring of lights. Thiswas discussed with the FIG. 1B above.

In an embodiment, at 236, the scanner status manager sends a command toa peripheral interfaced external light to activate or deactivate. Theperipheral interfaced light is the light. This was discussed asembodiment (5) and presented as an option in the FIG. 1A above.

According to an embodiment, at 237, the scanner status manager activatesthe light in a custom color based on the determination made at 220. Forexample, green indicates a successful scan whereas red indicates anunsuccessful scan.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another method 300 for providing displacedscanner status indicators, according to an example embodiment. Thesoftware module(s) that implements the method 300 is referred to as a“displaced scanner indicator manager.” The displaced scanner indicatormanager is implemented as executable instructions programmed andresiding within memory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable(processor-readable) storage medium and executed by one or moreprocessors of a scanner. The processor(s) of the scanner that executesthe displaced scanner indicator manager are specifically configured andprogrammed to process the displaced scanner indicator manager. Thedisplaced scanner indicator manager may or may not have access to one ormore network connections during its processing. The network connectionscan be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. In anembodiment, the displaced scanner indicator manager does not require ordoes not have any network connectivity during its processing.

In an embodiment, the scanner that executes the displaced scannerindicator manager is the scanner 110.

In an embodiment, the scanner is integrated as a peripheral device intothe POS terminal 150. In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a SST.In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is a cashier-operated terminal.

In an embodiment, the displaced scanner indicator manager performs theselective activation and deactivation of any of, all or, or somecombination of the status indicator LEDs 112, 114, 116, 117, and/or 118.

In an embodiment, the scanner status manager is the status indicatormanager 119.

In an embodiment, the displaced scanner indicator manager is another andin some ways enhanced version of the method 200.

At 310, the displaced scanner indicator manager changes an originalillumination of LEDs to a changed illumination when a scanner determinesan item code for an item passing in front of at least one window of thescanner that is unable to be read or recognized by the scanner.

In an embodiment, at 311, the displaced scanner indicator managerchanges a color of the LEDs to a different color associated with theoriginal illumination.

In an embodiment, at 312, the displaced scanner indicator manager turnsoff the LEDs as the changed illumination when the original illuminationincluded the LEDS turned on.

In an embodiment, at 313, the displaced scanner indicator manager sendsa message from the scanner as an instruction to an external peripherallight that is external to the scanner for the external peripheral lightto provide the changed illumination for the LEDs. Here, the LEDs are inthe external peripheral light, such as LEDs 141.

At 320, the displaced scanner indicator manager provides the changedillumination on a horizontal surface that is visible within afield-of-view of an overhead security camera.

According to an embodiment, at 321, the displaced scanner indicatormanager provides the changed illumination as a reflected light emittedfrom the LEDs off of one or more optical lenses of a vertical tower ofthe scanner and reflected/directed onto a horizontal plate surface ofthe scanner (e.g., vertical tower 111 and LEDs 112 of the FIG. 1A forscanner 110 directed onto horizontal plate surface 113).

In an embodiment, at 322, the displaced scanner indicator managercontrols the LEDS within an existing scan window of a horizontal platemember of the scanner when providing the changed illumination. Theexisting scan window used by the scanner for scanning the item code fromthe item.

In an embodiment, at 323, the displaced scanner indicator managercontrols the LEDs within one or more independent scan windows of ahorizontal plate member of the scanner when providing the changedillumination. The one or more independent scan windows are differentfrom other existing horizontal scan windows used by the scanner forscanning the item code from the item.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a scanner 400 that provides displaced scannerstatus indicators, according to an example embodiment. The scanner 400includes a variety of hardware components and software components. Thesoftware components of the scanner 400 are programmed and reside withinmemory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute onone or more processors of the scanner 400. The scanner 400 maycommunicate over one or more networks, which can be wired, wireless, ora combination of wired and wireless. In an embodiment, the scanner 400includes no network connection or is without a network connection.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 is the scanner 110.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 is the scanner that executes themethod 200.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 is the scanner that executes themethod 300.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 is integrated as a peripheral deviceinto the POS terminal 150. In an embodiment, the POS terminal 150 is acashier-assisted terminal. In an embodiment, the POS terminal is a SST.

The scanner 400 includes a status indicator manager 402, LEDs 402, and,optionally, one or more optical lenses 403.

The status indicator manager 402 is configured to: 1) execute on one ormore processors of the scanner, 2) selectively activate and deactivatethe LEDs based on whether an item code for an item is recognized by thescanner, and 3) ensure that the LEDs when selectively activated ordeactivated are visible within a field-of-view of an overhead securitycamera.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 further includes one or more opticallenses 403 situated in a vertical tower member of the scanner 400 thatdirects any illumination of the LEDs from the vertical tower member ontoa horizontal surface of a horizontal member of the scanner 400.

In an embodiment, the scanner 400 is a biotic scanner having a verticalmember for vertical scanning and a horizontal member for horizontalscanning.

In an embodiment, the status indicator manager 402 performs theselective activation and deactivation of the LED indicators 112, 114,116-118, the method 200, and/or the method 300.

It should be appreciated that where software is described in aparticular form (such as a component or module) this is merely to aidunderstanding and is not intended to limit how software that implementsthose functions may be architected or structured. For example, modulesare illustrated as separate modules, but may be implemented ashomogenous code, as individual components, some, but not all of thesemodules may be combined, or the functions may be implemented in softwarestructured in any other convenient manner.

Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executingon one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multipleprocessors or in any other convenient manner.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features aregrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of asingle disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are herebyincorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: detecting, by ascanner, an item passing by a scan window of the scanner during atransaction; determining, by the scanner, whether the item wasidentified by the scanner for processing with the transaction; andselectively activating or deactivating, by the scanner, at least onelight visible within a field-of-view of an overhead security camera asan indication for the determining, where the at least one light visiblewithin the field-of-view of the overhead security camera is situated ona terminal status pole associated with a terminal performing thetransaction and having the scanner, wherein the scanner comprises aperipheral connection to the at least one light visible within thefield-of-view of the overhead security camera and the scanner controlsthe at least one light during the transaction, wherein the at least onelight when illuminated is visible to the overhead security camera butnot visible to customers from the terminal status pole, wherein the atleast one light when illuminated does not interfere with existing lightsassociated with the terminal status pole and the existing lights arevisible to the customers from the terminal status pole.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein detecting further includes deactivating the at leastone light when the item is detected by the scanner in the scan window.3. The method of claim 2, wherein deactivating further includesactivating other illumination lights within the scanner that illuminatethe item within the scan window for attempting to capture an image of anitem code affixed to a surface of the item.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein selectively activating or deactivating further includesdeactivating the at least one light by pulsing the at least one lightfrom on to off when the determining indicates that the item was unableto be identified by the scanner.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereinselectively activating or deactivating further includes sending acommand to a peripheral interfaced external light to activate ordeactivate, wherein the peripheral interfaced external light is the atleast one light.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein selectivelyactivating or deactivating further includes activating the at least onelight in a custom color based on the determining.
 7. A method,comprising: changing an original illumination of Light Emitting Diodes(LEDs) situated on a terminal status pole associated with a terminal toa changed illumination when a scanner determines an item code for anitem passing in front of at least one window of the scanner is unable tobe read; and providing the changed illumination on a horizontal surfaceof the terminal status pole that is visible within a field-of-view of anoverhead security camera, wherein the scanner comprises a peripheralconnection to the LEDs of the terminal status pole and the scannercontrols the LEDs during transactions processed at the terminal andwherein the LEDs when illuminated is not visible to customers from theterminal status pole, wherein the LEDs when illuminated do not interferewith existing lights associated with the terminal status pole and theexisting lights are visible to the customers from the terminal statuspole.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein changing further includeschanging a color of the LEDs to a different color associated with theoriginal illumination.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein changingfurther includes turning off the LEDs as the changed illumination whenthe original illumination included the LEDs turned on.
 10. The method ofclaim 7, wherein changing further includes sending a message from thescanner as an instruction to an external peripheral light that isexternal to the scanner for the external peripheral light to provide thechanged illumination for the LEDs.
 11. A scanner, comprising: aprocessor; a status indicator manager; Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs); anda terminal status pole comprising the LEDs on a horizontal surface of atop of the terminal status pole; wherein the status indicator manager isconfigured to: i) execute on the processor, ii) selectively activate anddeactivate the LEDs in the horizontal surface of the top of the terminalstatus pole based on whether an item code for an item is recognized bythe scanner, and iii) ensure that the LEDs when selectively activated ordeactivated are visible within a field-of-view of an overhead securitycamera from the horizontal surface of the top of the terminal statuspole, wherein the LEDs when illuminated is not visible to customers fromthe terminal status pole, and wherein the LEDs when illuminated do notinterfere with existing lights associated with the terminal status poleand the existing lights are visible to the customers from the terminalstatus pole; wherein the scanner further comprises a peripheralconnection to the LEDs of the terminal status pole and the processor ofthe scanner controls the LEDs during transactions processed at aterminal associated with the scanner.